IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA SOUTHERN DIVISION . No. 7:21-CV-16-D

STANLEY BRUCE BENSON, ) Plaintiff, v. ; ORDER PENDER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, ; and SHERIFF ALAN W. CUTLER, ) Defendants.

The court GRANTS defendants’ motion to dismiss [D.E. 12] and DISMISSES the Pender ‘County Sheriff’ s Office as a defendant. See White v. Vance Cnty., No. 5:19-CV-467-BO,

, at *2 (E.D.N.C. Feb. 26, 2020) (unpublished); Landry v. North Carolina, No. 3:10-cv-585- RJC-DCK,

, at *2 (W.D.N.C. Aug. 23, 2011) (unpublished); Vaught v. Ingram, No. 5:10-CT-3009-FL,

, at *4 (E.D.N.C. Feb. 24, 2011) (unpublished); Cooper v. Brunswick Cnty. Sheriff’s Dep’t, No. 7:10-CV-14-D,

, at *1 (E.D.N.C. Feb. 23, 2011) (unpublished); Parker v. Bladen Cnty.,

,.740 (E.D.N.C. 2008); Hughes v. Bedsole,

(E.D.N.C. 1994), aff'd,

(4th Cir. 1995). The court DENIES as futile plaintiffs motion to amend to add Pender County as a defendant [D.E. 14]. In light of plaintiff’s allegations, Pender County is not a proper defendant in this action. Young v. Bailey,

,

(2016); McLaughlin v, Bailey,

, 160,

, 572 (2015), aff'd,

,

(2016); see White,

, at *3; Gentile v. Brunswick Cnty. Sheriff's Dep’t, No. 7:13-CV-81-FL,

, at *15—16 (E.D.N.C. Apr. 2, 2014) (unpublished); Engleman v. Cumberland Cnty., No. 5:12-CV-147-FL,

, at *5 (E.D.N.C. Jan. 15, 2013) (unpublished); Parker,

; Olvera v. Edmundson,

(W.D.N.C. 2001); Little v. Smith,

(W.D.N.C. 2000); Goodwin v. Furr,

, _ 716-17 (M.D.N.C. 1998); Guy v. Jones,

(E.D.N.C. 1990). Sheriff □□□□ W. Cutler is the sole defendant. In sum, the court GRANTS defendant’s motion to dismiss [D.E. 12], DISMISSES the Pender County Sheriffs Office as a defendant, and DENIES as futile plaintiff's motion to amend to add Pender County as a defendant [D.E. 14]. SO ORDERED. This 20 day of May 2021.

United States District Judge